SYFC. 07 Visit to Republic Polytechnic and Gliderfest. 08 CAAS Aviation Open House at Singapore Expo. (July 2013) Since 1971

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1 November 2013 Issue MCI(P)022/09/2013 Since 1971 SYFC Pearce Trip (July 2013) SYFC Excellence Award 02 National Day 2013 Celebrations 10 Aviators Programme for NCC Cadets 07 Visit to Republic Polytechnic and Gliderfest th Singapore Youth Flying Club Inter-School Aeromodelling Competition CAAS Aviation Open House at Singapore Expo 12

2 YOUR FLIGHT IS OUR MISSION AEROSPACE EVO

3 01 Foreword Contents Aviator The Singapore Youth Flying Club (SYFC) is pleased to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) partnership with the Republic Polytechnic (RP) to offer their 3rd Year students from the Diploma in Civil Aviation the opportunity to experience the thrill of flying and obtain the Private Pilot Licence. Through this partnership, we hope that many RP students would be excited and thrilled to embark on a flying career in the Republic of Singapore Air Force. On the CCA curriculum, the Club is enhancing its learning journey programme to include more visits to aviation companies in Singapore. This would widen the aviation knowledge of our CCA students and make learning more fun, meaningful and relevant for our students. On the publicity of our aviation programmes, the Club is pleased to engage and host visits by parents support groups from secondary schools. Through such visits, we hope that many more parents would be aware of the programmes offered by SYFC and be interested in enrolling their children to participate in the flying and aeromodelling activities. We look forward to seeing a healthy supply of students participating in our programmes. 02 Partnership between SYFC and Republic Polytechnic SYFC Excellence Award 03 Students Views 04 experiential Trip to RAAF, Pearce 06 Welcome New Pilot Trainees aeromodelling 07 Aviators Programme for NCC Cadets Young Defence Scientist Programme Students Visit th Singapore Youth Flying Club Inter-School Aeromodelling Competition Learning Journey for SYFC s Students 10 National Day 2013 Celebrations 11 Visit to Republic Polytechnic and Gliderfest Flying Experience in RSAF Aircraft Recruitment publicity others 12 Visits by Parents Support Groups CAAS Aviation Open House at Singapore Expo 13 Breitling Jet Team Wowed Audiences in South East Asia Spot the Planes Contest Editorial Committee Advisor : COL (VOL) Andy Tan, General Manager Editors : Ms Lucy Chua, Administrative Manager Mr Jason Ong, Executive Officer Members : Mr S Beber, CCA Manager Mr Ashwin Kotteri, President SYFC PPL Alumni Committee Mr Preetwant Singh, Ground School Instructor Take-Off is the official newsletter of the Singapore Youth Flying Club. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, the Editor, the Club and its Committee do not accept liability for any damage, personal or material, arising whether directly or indirectly from any matter published in this newsletter. Views or opinions expressed here are entirely the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Club or members of the Editorial Committee. COL (VOL) Andy Tan General Manager Singapore Youth Flying Club November 2013 No portion of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the Singapore Youth Flying Club. Copyright 2001 by Singapore Youth Flying Club. All rights reserved. Singapore Youth Flying Club 515 West Camp Road, Singapore Tel: Website: info@syfc.sg Designed by Equity Communications Pte Ltd. Printed by A&D Printhub Pte Ltd.

4 AVIATOR / SYFC newsletter / November Partnership between between SYFC and Republic Polytechnic SYFC and Republic Polytechnic have formalised a partnership to offer flight training to their 3rd year students from the Diploma in Civil Aviation. The MOU was signed on 18 Jan 13. Goh Jie Shen Jason, the first student from RP who is currently on course said, I am very honoured to be in this unique programme. It is a stepping stone for me to fulfil my ambition to be a pilot. I will strive my very best to do both RP and SYFC proud. SYFC Excellence Award T op students from Bartley Secondary School, Bukit Panjang Government High, ACS (Barker), Tanjong Katong Secondary School and Monfort Secondary School who excelled in their CCA received the SYFC Excellence Award during the School s Prize Presentation Ceremony.

5 November 13 / SYFC newsletter / AVIATOR 03 STUDENTS VIEWs SOLO It was the most memorable 15 minutes of my life. The feeling of being in control from take off to landing was simply the best! I look forward to more solo flights. 2 Chelsea Ng The moment when a dream turns into reality, when freedom strikes and when you and people around you feel proud of that first achievement. That moment was my First Solo. 2 F Muhammad Faias It is the flight that all aspiring pilots and those who are living the dream will never fail to talk about. It is an experience I ll never forget. The flight signifies that you have inspired the trust of the instructors that you can handle the aircraft on your own. I shall best try to describe the experience. Initially while taxiing to the runway nerves are on edge but as you get closer they slowly begin to fade and are replaced by thoughts of utter responsibility. There is no room for error. When you hear the takeoff clearance a shot of adrenaline cruises through your veins as you send the aircraft rolling down the runway and the moment of liftoff is pure ecstasy. When you are normally with your instructor, time seems to drag an eternity in the circuit. But on solo time seems to enter a dreamy daze. Ironic since its probably the flight where your senses are on the highest alert and you are constantly thinking. Before long you re performing checks to prepare the aircraft to land. You re established on final, done your checks and you receive the landing clearance. You have arrived at the most critical phase of the flight. Your heart has arrived in your chest at this point of time. You round-out just above the runway and using your feelings hold the aircraft for a smooth touchdown on the runway. Relief and elation overload your senses at the same time. The dream continues until you re back in the club and the bucket to commemorate the solo is dumped on you abruptly calling you back to earth. 2 Gabriel Ong ppl I completed my Final Handling Test on 9 Jul 13. My journey in SYFC has been a fruitful and undoubtedly memorable one. The past 54 weeks have nurtured me, from a budding student pilot, to a fully bloomed private pilot. The journey has been littered with ups and downs, no doubt, lots of obstacles. I am glad to have been part of this pleasant journey, making many new friends in the process. I would never forget the times we struggled together, how we would encourage one another to persevere and how we eventually attained success. I am grateful to all the instructors I have flown with during my SYFC journey, for imparting knowledge as well as providing alternative perspectives to flying. Most importantly, I would like to thank my BFC primary instructor TOH BH for putting his faith in me as well as my PPL primary instructor De Witt, for his constant encouragement and belief in me. I would also like to thank SYFC for giving me such a wonderful opportunity to pursue my childhood dream of flying! 2 Teo FW After spending 13 months at SYFC, I have learnt many things that can be applied to my life. My multi-tasking skill has became better, I have a very good memory, and flying here has helped me in my school work. All in all, the time I have spent is very enriching and a definitely a fun experience. 2 Sow Zhan Kit Ryan

6 04 AVIATOR / SYFC newsletter / November 13 Experiential Trip to RAAF, Pearce. What s in a Name? Trip Participants: Lai SY Ho JH Wong MY Koh KS Ang SQ Liu MC M Azkhairy D Thishanth Neo CY FI Simon Sim Heading overseas to Perth, Australia to experience a completely different paradigm and culture of flight training is a privilege which all 9 of us are thankful for. Our trip to 130 Squadron at RAAF Airbase, Pearce expanded our understanding of life as an RSAF cadet, preparing us with invaluable information and knowledge that will enrich and shape our potential future careers with the RSAF. After all, what better way is there to appreciate life as a pilot cadet than to be part of the action? Before embarking on the trip, I flipped through past issues of Take-Off, SYFC s official newsletter, and the Pearce Article of each issue invariantly listed the joyride on the PC-21 as the highlight of the trip. Indeed those of us who journeyed to Pearce this time also looked forward to the joyride and were overjoyed when we all had an opportunity to experience a flight on the agile flight trainer that marks the intermediary step between the reliable Diamond workhorse that we fly at SYFC and possible future careers as Fighter Pilots. That being said, in an attempt to make this article different, I ll venture out to not just repeat the words of previous batches but to explain something which the Pearce trip made me reflect on, What s in a Name? The call-sign is a unique identity which all trainees get together with their wings after completing their first solo fight. From the stories we heard, obtaining a name involves the long, arduous process of lobbying with batch-mates, employing the best of one s persuasive pathos, ethos and logos and, above all, proving that you re deserving of the name. During our trip we met instructors who made names for themselves including the 130 Squadron Commanding Officer (CO), Legend as well as Instructor of the Month, Dealer, who was instrumental in organizing our trip and ensuring we had a good experience. Each call-sign has a story and while some are obvious and some are kept secret under lock and key, each represents the journey and achievement of a pilot trainee. In many senses, it is a pilot s role to live up to the expectations of his or her call-sign, a reminder that flying and being part of the Squadron is not just about selfish entitlement but about a larger identity. But names aren t just limited to callsigns. During the trip, Legend once told us about how 130 SQN has built a certain rapport with the residing RAAF units, appealing for our cooperation in following the rules and regulations of the base. This reminded me about how each pilot is but a small part of a larger whole, the privilege we have of visiting Pearce and indeed the privilege that each RSAF cadet has to train at

7 November 13 / SYFC newsletter / AVIATOR 05 Pearce depends on the good name that our Nation s Air Force makes for itself overseas as a responsible and important strategic partner. Pilots of the RSAF all carry the Singapore flag on their shoulder, more than just a symbol of National Pride, we too must live up to the name that past generations of Singaporeans have created for us. Over the course of the trip we also paid a visit to ex-syfc instructor, Mdm Teo Ah Hong, Singapore s First Female Commercial Pilot. Mdm Teo s sharing of her experiences and how she ended up giving back as an instructor both at SIA and SYFC underlined the importance of some individuals whose contributions have been integral in growing the local aviation scene. Our conversation, while short, was an inspirational reminder that each of us, as part of SYFC, must be thankful for everything our instructors and past leaders of SYFC and the local aviation community have done to make flying possible in Singapore, let alone for youth. By being at the forefront of change and development, Mdm Teo made a name for herself as a pioneer in the aviation scene, an achievement future pilots can look to for inspiration. We had the privilege of having SYFC s own Captain Simon Sim to lead the expedition to Pearce. Captain Sim s sharing of his own experiences also reflects how one s own experiences and past makes a name for oneself. Throughout the trip, Captain Sim met a whole array of friends and acquaintances: students, ex-course mates, ex-school mates amongst others. These connections both reflect how our lives intertwine with others as we write our life stories, and Captain Sim embodied how making a name for yourself, by connecting with others, is an important feature of not just pilot life but of life itself. One memorable instance was when we visited the Singapore Flying College and the receptionist was about to turn us away, Mr Sim shook hands with the General Manager who happened to be his close friend, leaving the receptionist speechless. Perhaps then making a name for oneself isn t just about titles but also about relationships. All in all, this trip left each of us with many memories which we will keep for a long time. But perhaps beyond the typical and perfunctory message on how the highlight of the trip was a joyride, this trip was an important lesson to the 9 of us who have indeed embarked on our own journeys to make a name for ourselves. It might then be apt to conclude by saying- we have visited the home of the Eagles, and have been inspired by how they have been called such Contributed by KOH KS and HO JH, RVHS.

8 06 AVIATOR / SYFC newsletter / November 13 Welcome new pilot trainees! RP1-13 TP BFC 202BFC

9 November 13 / SYFC newsletter / AEROMODELLING 07 Aviators Programme for NCC cadets On the 3 Aug 13, 9 NCC cadets from Catholic High attended the Aviators Programme and flew in the DA40 aircraft to experience flying in a single propeller aircraft. I felt that it was indeed a fascinating to fly above Singapore, and the view was spectacular from up there. The flight opened up a whole new experience for me. Sitting in the copilot seat, I felt as if the aircraft was under my control, said Chua Qing Lin. Jordan Seow Hua Jun commented, I experienced the thrill of flying and the flight has inspired me to work harder to be a pilot, and harness the power of the sky. Young Defence Scientist Programme Students Visit SYFC hosted 20 Young Defence Scientist Programme students on 11 Sep 13. They were given briefings on the DA40 aircraft to correlate the aviation theories that they learnt to real flying in a DA40 aircraft. Wow! It was an eye-opening experience flying in the DA40 aircraft, it was super cool, commented Zenry Goh from NUS (High).

10 08 AEROMODELLING / SYFC newsletter /November th Singapore Youth Flying Club Inter-School Aeromodelling Competition 2013 A total of 550 students participated in the 13th SYFC Inter-School Aeromodelling Competition, held from 18 Aug to 14 Sep 13 at the SYFC Flying Complex. The Closing ceremony was held on 14 Sep 13 with Mr Leong Kok Kee, Principal of Edgefield Secondary School as the Guest-of-Honour presenting prizes to the winners of the competitive events. Hillgrove Secondary School emerged as the winner of the SYFC Inter-School Aeromodelling Challenge Trophy for 2013 with Evergreen and Bukit View Secondary School achieving 1 st and 2 nd runner-ups respectively.

11 November 13 / SYFC newsletter / AEROMODELLING 09 The overall results for the competitions were: A. Control Line Class A Gas Powered Rat Race Open Champion Liaw Xiao Tao SST 1ST 2ND Emmanuel Kwan Chng Yao Ming Chung Cheng High (Main) WGSS B. Junior Rat Race Control Line Electric Champion Muhammad Aqil B Rosdi EGSS 1ST Voo Jun San EGSS 2ND Lim Zhen Yu EGSS C. Senior Rat Race Control Line Electric Champion Luzian Arno Gehlhaar EFSS 1ST Sim Jia Jie Ryan EGSS 2ND Emmanuel Kwan Chung Cheng High (Main) D. Junior Radio Control Fixed Wing Pylon Racing Champion Clarissa Lim Xin Rong NBSS 1ST Timothy Ho Wenjie HGV E. Senior Radio Control Fixed Wing Pylon Racing Champion Jeremy How HGV 1ST Bryan Liew Choy Kit HGV 2nd Muhammad Afiq NBSS F. Free Flight Fixed Wing Champion Muhd Zackery WGSS 1ST Ernie Phua EFSS 2ND Kendrick Calvin Luth HGV G. Flight Simulator Precision Flying Junior 1ST Viknavel S/O Krishnan YCK SS 2ND Ang Jia Jie Rex Greenview SS 3RD Jovern Ng Zhen Jie West Spring SS H. Flight Simulator Precision Flying Senior 1ST Tan Jun Kit Austin New Town SS 2ND Joshua Jacobs Noriel East View SS 3RD Justin Tan Xinmin SS LEARNING JOURNEY - Visit to MAJ Aviation The tour started with a corporate video presentation followed by a tour to the hangar to observe the planes under maintenance and to learn how the double-storey carousel works to accommodate more planes in the hangar. The visit included the Piper Warrior flight simulator where students got an engaging hands-on experience flying the plane.

12 10 AEROMODELLING / SYFC newsletter / November 13 NATIONAL DAY 2013 CELEBRATIONS Hwa Chong Institution Youth Flying Club students once again put up an aerial display at the school as part of their 2013 National Day Celebrations. Troops all decked out in uniform, marching in synchrony, an endless array of students all wearing red, and the national flag flying high. These are the images that you may perhaps conjure in your mind when you think about National Day. For my entire club, it was different this year. A beautiful banner fluttering in the wind, the high-pitched shrill of an engine, and the sleek figure of an aerobatic aircraft was all that was on our minds that day. Well that, and the deep anxiety too, as we were about to put on an aerial display in front of the whole school within minutes. Months of hard work lead to this moment. Staying back in school to complete our banner; standing in the hot sun, dripping wet with sweat training for the aerial display; even just the little things like purchasing the logistics, ensuring we have enough fuel, and disseminating information efficiently to ensure that everything went smoothly. Those were sacrifices all of us were willing to make nonetheless. We had our fair share of problems despite our meticulous planning. The first test flight was an absolute disaster for as soon as our aircraft left the ground, paint started peeling off our banner and falling to the ground like snow flakes. A lesson learnt is to always ensure compatibility in our paint for extreme conditions (and to check with our trainer as well!). The second banner survived its first flight, but didn t last long either. Being too filmsy, it tore and ripped apart in flight. Third time s the charm, and our third banner survived. While decorating the banner at the club was fun, as there was always a sense of satisfaction in our achievements each time we completed them under the time crunch, absolutely nothing trumped the feeling when that plane took off, and the crowd went wild. Seeing exhilarated faces, and to hear people talking about it afterwards made it all worthwhile. To have a positive experience is one thing, but sharing it with so many others was even better. Contributed by Teo Xin Hui, HCI YFC Chairman. COMMUNITY SERVICE As an on-going service to the community, SYFC hosted a visit of 15 students and teachers from the MINDS Fernvale Gardens School on 20 Sep 13.They had a fun time observing and learning how aeroplanes fly and had hands-on experience in flying simulators.

13 November 13 / SYFC newsletter / AEROMODELLING 11 Visit to Republic Polytechnic and Gliderfest A total of 100 students from the various school YFCs visited the Republic Polytechnic on 16 Oct 13 and were shown around the Polytechnic Campus hangar housing the static Learjet aircraft and its aricraft systems, fight simulator and wind tunnel. They also participated in the RP with Nrothbrooks YFC and Fuchun YFC achieving 1 st and 2 nd placing respectively in the competition. Evergreen YFC was awarded the Best in Aesthetic. Ian Lee from SST commented, This has been a wonderful and fruitful journey as we learnt how wind tunnels work and what they are used for. The close-up briefing on the Learjet in the hanger and flying A320 Flight Simulator was awesome. Daniel from Northbrooks Secondary School commented, There was an incredible teamwork spirit among the different teams for the competition, despite the tense atmosphere. FLYING EXPERIENCE IN RSAF AIRCRAFT During the Nov 13 school holidays, various activities were organised for CCA students at various levels including having flight experience in RSAF aircraft. Nathan Kew Kai Hern, St. Andrew s Secondary School, who flew in the RSAF C130 commented, Never knew the C130 aircraft was so huge though they fly over our school daily. It was very exciting to see my school and the houses around from the air they are very small, looks like LEGO blocks to me. Justin Tan from Xinmin Secondary School, who flew in the RSAF SuperPuma helicopter commented, Flying in the helicopter was completely different from conventional aircraft. The wind blowing into my face and legs was definitely a very good experience. I will cherish the flight and am looking forward to take up a flying career.

14 12 recruitment Publicity others / SYFC newsletter / November 13 VISITS BY PARENTS SUPPORT GROUP Parents and their children from Raffles Institution and Beatty Secondary School visited SYFC and were briefed on the Club s aviation programme and training facilities. Children were given hands-on experience on the flight simulators. Following the visits, there were many parents keen to enrol their children in our CCA and flying programme. CAAS Aviation Open House At Singapore Expo For the first time, SYFC participated in the Aviation Open House at Singapore Expo. The Club set up 2 sets of flight simulators which became the centre of attraction very quickly at the exhibition. Many visitors also came to the booth to ask about training courses offered by the Club.

15 November 13 / SYFC newsletter / recruitment Publicity others 13 Breitling Jet Team Wowed Audiences in South East Asia Yves Jetman Rossy has completed his first flight in Asia choosing the iconic Mount Fuji, Japan as a symbolic backdrop for this milestone flight. Flying above the famous snow-capped peak, at up to 185mp/h (300km/h) looping and rolling with his jet powered carbon-kevlar wing, Yves Rossy enjoyed a unique perspective of the famous landmark most people only see from the ground, or simply from TV and photos. Yves Rossy commented: Flying here for me is a dream. It is such a contrast flying free with just a wing on my back, compared to being enclosed in a cockpit as an airline pilot. It is hard to describe the emotions and feeling of having an opportunity like this, it s spiritual, it is immense. I am the lucky guy who gets to do this, but I hope I can motivate the next generation of forward thinkers to do something different, to strive and achieve their goals even if it seems impossible. Following the recent tour of the Breitling Jet Team in Japan, Breitling, a watch brand synonymous with aviation, is pleased to support these outstanding achievements, which are part of activities marking the 150 th anniversary of diplomatic relationships between Switzerland and Japan. SPOT the PLANES CONTEST Prizes: 10 book vouchers worth $20 each. A B C D What are the names of the aircraft shown in the above pictures? a. b. c. d. Name & NRIC No: SYFC Membership No: School: Class: Age: Address: Tel: Please submit a photocopy of this completed form to the CCA Manager, SYFC, 515 West Camp Road, Singapore to reach us by 1 March Each person is entitled to one entry only. The decision for winners by SYFC is final. Results will be published in the next newsletter. SPOT the Planes Contest Winners - July Ang Pei Chang Hua Yi Secondary School 2. Muhammad bin Sharin Montfort Secondary School 3. Alena Rae Ong CHIJ Toa Payoh 4. Ethan Jian-Hui Maniam Xinmin Secondary School 5. Tan Sheng Cong Ervin Xinmin Secondary School 6. D H Nidula Wickmal Xinmin Secondary School 7. Chng Yao Ming Westwood Secondary School 8. Chng Yao Ming Woodgrove Secondary School 9. Tan Jun Xian Shawn St. Andrew s Secondary School 10. Aaron Seah Qin Wu St. Andrew s Secondary School

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